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Head coach Rodrigo da Silva expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance, stating, “It’s great to start the season with two wins. I’m really proud of the guys and how they competed, especially the freshmen who were playing in their first matches today. Hopefully, we can build on today’s success and continue our momentum into the upcoming matches.”

This season, the Cardinals will play a total of 16 matches at home. The team’s roster is a mix of both experienced players and newcomers. Returning doubles All-American Natan Rodrigues and ranked singles player Etienne Donnet will provide a strong foundation for the team. Will Mayew and Matthew Fung, both ranked in the ITA Singles Top 60, along with Andre’ Steinbach, will also be returning for the Cardinals.

Kentucky took control of the game early on, with goalkeeper Casper Mols making a crucial save in the opening 15 minutes. The breakthrough came in the 26th minute, as Ben Damge scored his first goal of the night, assisted by freshman Josh Gordon. The Wildcats went into halftime with a 1-0 lead, having recorded four shots and one save.

The Wildcats head into this match after suffering a defeat to Marshall in the semifinal round of the 2023 Sun Belt Conference Tournament. On the other hand, the Musketeers secured their first-ever Big East Conference Tournament title by defeating Georgetown in a nail-biting penalty shoot-out. Both teams are hungry for success and will be looking to make a statement in this tournament.

In an exciting announcement on Monday afternoon, the NCAA revealed that the Kentucky men’s soccer team has received an at-large bid for the 2023 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament. The Wildcats, who finished as the last of the 48 teams selected, will be representing the Sun Belt Conference along with Marshall, West Virginia, UCF, and James Madison.